128 Next to the Ground 



log five feet from the drummer. The two 

 eyed each other for perhaps a minute, then 

 both began to drum at once. Still drumming 

 they moved toward each other. When they 

 were two feet apart, the wings grew rigid, and 

 they hurled themselves furiously against each 

 other. The shock of impact sent them down 

 upon the leaves, there to tumble about peck- 

 ing, clawing, striking with the wings, each 

 aiming to reach his adversary's eyes. Joe 

 knew that, because both the dead birds he had 

 seen had lost an eye. He had heard old hun- 

 ters tell also, of finding pheasants wholly 

 blind, starving in the thickets. He did not 

 mean that should be the fate of these fine 

 fellows, so he rushed in upon them and sent 

 them scuttering away, before much harm was 

 done. He wondered if they would not meet 

 again, and fight it out, with their sultanas look- 

 ing on. From what he had heard, the sultanas, 

 the hen-pheasants, were cruel creatures, de- 

 lighting to be the cause of battle, and though 

 indifferent to the victor, vengeful even to death 

 upon the vanquished if he ventured later to 

 creep back into company. They were jeal- 

 ous too, often fighting among themselves, 

 until their brown coats were ragged, and their 

 sultan came magisterially to peck and cuff" 

 them apart. But there was something to be 

 said for them, he reflected they had the sole 



